It's common for children to have different surname to one of their parents, and if this is the case in your family, you may have issues when travelling abroad.

Here are the facts you need to know when going on holiday with children who have a different surname to you.

You’re taking the kids off on a much-needed break abroad, but when you try and enter the country you’re stopped.

Officials say you have to prove your children belong to you.

The problem is, your surname is different to that of your children’s – and you have no way of proving the fact you are their parent to authorities.

This scenario has become increasingly common for parents taking their children on holiday. It's estimated that around 600,000 of parents have been grilled at airports, and challenged to prove their kids belong to them.

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Confusion when travelling abroad

As many of us choose not to marry, we divorce and remarry, or we don't take our partner's name, it’s become the norm for children to have different surnames to one of their parents.

According to a survey by YouGov, almost 30 per cent of parents with children under 18 do not share a surname with both parents.

Children’s passports were introduced in the1990's and list the child’s name and date and place of birth only.

This can cause confusion when travelling abroad with a parent who has a different surname.

In the YouGov survey, a third of parents said that their child's surname had delayed them at border security at least once.

It can be annoying and inconvenient when you face questions from officials while taking your own children abroad.

Why parents with different surnames to their children get stopped

The reason officials ask these questions, is because of concerns over child trafficking. This is when children are recruited, moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold.

Child abduction is also a concern, including cases when a family member tries and take children out of the country against the wishes of the parent.

However, many parents have called for a reform in the law, arguing that there are lots of different kinds of family types in the UK now – with many children living with cohabiting, unmarried parents.

There was even a petition asking for the law to be altered to give parents the option for their children’s passports to identify the names of their parents or legal guardians.

However, as it stands, parents who do not share the same surname as their children are still being advised to plan, prepare and research carefully before travelling.